All central government departments have been asked to verify employees' service record annually and inform them of any deficiencies thereof in order to check delay in processing their pension.

With the objective of eliminating delays in processing of cases of retiring government servants, the Personnel Ministry has asked the departments to immediately undertake an exercise to ensure completion of the entries of service verification and conclude within a defined time-frame.

"Any gap in the verification of service may be intimated to the employee concerned, and simultaneously appropriate action for ensuring verification of missing spells may be taken by the Head of Office," it said in a directive to all ministries.

The government servant concerned may also be informed of deficiencies and gaps as regards missing entries relating to verification of service and the period thereof, the order said.

In order to preclude and cut down on delays in payment of retiral benefits to government servants retiring of superannuation, the ministries may consider annual service verification and intimation to every officer regarding service verification status so that any lapse is timely ascertained and corrective action taken.

"The exercise of annual verification be monitored by every ministry, department or cadre controlling authority on a quarterly basis," it said.

There are about 50 lakh central government employees.

All ministries are requested to issue suitable instructions to all Heads of Offices, and Pay and Accounts Offices for strict compliance of the instructions so as to preclude any delays in disbursement of retiral benefits of government servants, the directive said.